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    Creation:2025-08-11Last update:2025-08-11

    Getting Started Internationalizing (i18n) with Intlayer and TanStack Start (React)

    What is Intlayer?

    Intlayer is an open-source i18n toolkit for React apps. It gives you:

    • Component-local dictionaries with TypeScript safety.
    • Dynamic metadata & routes (SEO-ready).
    • Runtime locale switching (and helpers to detect/persist locales).
    • Vite plugin for build-time transforms + dev DX.

    This guide shows how to wire Intlayer into a TanStack Start project (which uses Vite under the hood and TanStack Router for routing/SSR).


    Step 1: Install Dependencies

    bash
    # npmnpm i intlayer react-intlayernpm i -D vite-intlayer# pnpmpnpm add intlayer react-intlayerpnpm add -D vite-intlayer# yarnyarn add intlayer react-intlayeryarn add -D vite-intlayer
    • intlayer: core (config, dictionaries, CLI/transforms).
    • react-intlayer: <IntlayerProvider> + hooks for React.
    • vite-intlayer: Vite plugin, plus optional middleware for locale detection/redirects (works in dev & SSR/preview; move to dependencies for production SSR).

    Step 2: Configure Intlayer

    Create intlayer.config.ts at your project root:

    intlayer.config.ts
    import { Locales, type IntlayerConfig } from "intlayer";const config: IntlayerConfig = {  internationalization: {    locales: [Locales.ENGLISH, Locales.FRENCH, Locales.SPANISH],    defaultLocale: Locales.ENGLISH,  },  // You can also tweak: contentDir, contentFileExtensions, middleware options, etc.};export default config;

    CommonJS/ESM variants are identical to your original doc if you prefer cjs/mjs.

    Full config reference: see Intlayer’s configuration docs.


    Step 3: Add the Vite Plugin (and optional middleware)

    TanStack Start uses Vite, so add Intlayer’s plugin(s) to your vite.config.ts:

    vite.config.ts
    import { defineConfig } from "vite";import react from "@vitejs/plugin-react-swc";import { intlayerPlugin, intLayerMiddlewarePlugin } from "vite-intlayer";export default defineConfig({  plugins: [    react(),    intlayerPlugin(),    // Optional but recommended for locale detection, cookies & redirects:    intLayerMiddlewarePlugin(),  ],});

    If you deploy SSR, move vite-intlayer to dependencies so the middleware runs in production.


    Step 4: Declare Your Content

    Place your dictionaries anywhere under ./src (default contentDir). Example:

    src/app.content.tsx
    import { t, type Dictionary } from "intlayer";import type { ReactNode } from "react";const appContent = {  key: "app",  content: {    viteLogo: t({ en: "Vite logo", fr: "Logo Vite", es: "Logo Vite" }),    reactLogo: t({ en: "React logo", fr: "Logo React", es: "Logo React" }),    title: t({      en: "TanStack Start + React",      fr: "TanStack Start + React",      es: "TanStack Start + React",    }),    count: t({ en: "count is ", fr: "le compte est ", es: "el recuento es " }),    edit: t<ReactNode>({      en: (        <>          Edit <code>src/routes/index.tsx</code> and save to test HMR        </>      ),      fr: (        <>          Éditez <code>src/routes/index.tsx</code> et enregistrez pour tester          HMR        </>      ),      es: (        <>          Edita <code>src/routes/index.tsx</code> y guarda para probar HMR        </>      ),    }),    readTheDocs: t({      en: "Click the logos to learn more",      fr: "Cliquez sur les logos pour en savoir plus",      es: "Haz clic en los logotipos para saber más",    }),  },} satisfies Dictionary;export default appContent;

    JSON/ESM/CJS variants work the same as in your original doc.

    TSX content? Don’t forget import React from "react" if your setup needs it.


    Step 5: Wrap TanStack Start with Intlayer

    With TanStack Start, your root route is the right place to set providers.

    src/routes/__root.tsx
    import {  Outlet,  createRootRoute,  Link as RouterLink,} from "@tanstack/react-router";import { IntlayerProvider, useIntlayer } from "react-intlayer";function AppShell() {  // Example of using a dictionary at the top level:  const content = useIntlayer("app");  return (    <div>      <nav className="flex gap-3 p-3">        <RouterLink to="/">Home</RouterLink>        <RouterLink to="/about">About</RouterLink>      </nav>      <main className="p-6">        <h1>{content.title}</h1>        <Outlet />      </main>    </div>  );}export const Route = createRootRoute({  component: () => (    <IntlayerProvider>      <AppShell />    </IntlayerProvider>  ),});

    Then use your content in pages:

    src/routes/index.tsx
    import { createFileRoute } from "@tanstack/react-router";import { useIntlayer } from "react-intlayer";import reactLogo from "../assets/react.svg";export const Route = createFileRoute("/")({  component: () => {    const content = useIntlayer("app");    return (      <>        <button>{content.count}0</button>        <p>{content.edit}</p>        <img          src={reactLogo}          alt={content.reactLogo.value}          width={48}          height={48}        />        <p className="opacity-70">{content.readTheDocs}</p>      </>    );  },});

    String attributes (alt, title, aria-label, …) need .value:

    jsx
    <img alt={c.reactLogo.value} />

    (Optional) Step 6: Locale Switching (Client)

    src/components/LocaleSwitcher.tsx
    import { Locales } from "intlayer";import { useLocale } from "react-intlayer";export function LocaleSwitcher() {  const { setLocale } = useLocale();  return (    <div className="flex gap-2">      <button onClick={() => setLocale(Locales.ENGLISH)}>English</button>      <button onClick={() => setLocale(Locales.FRENCH)}>Français</button>      <button onClick={() => setLocale(Locales.SPANISH)}>Español</button>    </div>  );}

    (Optional) Step 7: Localized Routing (SEO-friendly URLs)

    You have two good patterns with TanStack Start. Pick one.

    Create a dynamic segment folder src/routes/$locale/ so your URLs are /:locale/.... In the $locale layout, validate the params.locale, set <IntlayerProvider locale=...>, and render an <Outlet />. This approach is straightforward, but you’ll mount the rest of your routes beneath $locale, and you’ll need an extra non-prefixed tree if you don’t want the default locale prefixed.


    (Optional) Step 8: Update the URL when switching locale

    With Pattern A (basepath), switching locales means navigating to a different basepath:

    src/components/LocaleSwitcherNavigate.tsx
    import { useRouter } from "@tanstack/react-router";import { Locales, getLocalizedUrl } from "intlayer";import { useLocale } from "react-intlayer";export function LocaleSwitcherNavigate() {  const router = useRouter();  const { locale, setLocale } = useLocale();  const change = async (next: Locales) => {    if (next === locale) return;    const nextPath = getLocalizedUrl(      window.location.pathname + window.location.search,      next    );    await router.navigate({ to: nextPath }); // preserves history    setLocale(next);  };  return (    <div className="flex gap-2">      <button onClick={() => change(Locales.ENGLISH)}>English</button>      <button onClick={() => change(Locales.FRENCH)}>Français</button>      <button onClick={() => change(Locales.SPANISH)}>Español</button>    </div>  );}

    (Optional) Step 9: <html lang> and dir (TanStack Start Document)

    TanStack Start exposes a Document (root HTML shell) you can customize. Set lang and dir for accessibility/SEO:

    src/routes/__root.tsx
    import { HeadContent, Scripts, createRootRoute } from "@tanstack/react-router";import { TanStackRouterDevtools } from "@tanstack/react-router-devtools";import Header from "../components/Header";import { IntlayerProvider } from "react-intlayer";import appCss from "../styles.css?url";export const Route = createRootRoute({  head: () => ({    meta: [      {        charSet: "utf-8",      },      {        name: "viewport",        content: "width=device-width, initial-scale=1",      },      {        title: "TanStack Start Starter",      },    ],    links: [      {        rel: "stylesheet",        href: appCss,      },    ],  }),  shellComponent: RootDocument,});function RootDocument({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {  return (    <IntlayerProvider>      <html lang="en">        <head>          <HeadContent />        </head>        <body>          <Header />          {children}          <TanStackRouterDevtools />          <Scripts />        </body>      </html>    </IntlayerProvider>  );}

    For client-side correction, you can also keep your small hook:

    src/hooks/useI18nHTMLAttributes.ts
    import { useEffect } from "react";import { useLocale } from "react-intlayer";import { getHTMLTextDir } from "intlayer";export const useI18nHTMLAttributes = () => {  const { locale } = useLocale();  useEffect(() => {    document.documentElement.lang = locale;    document.documentElement.dir = getHTMLTextDir(locale);  }, [locale]);};

    TanStack Router provides a <Link/>, but if you ever need a plain <a> that auto-prefixes internal URLs:

    src/components/Link.tsx
    import { getLocalizedUrl } from "intlayer";import {  forwardRef,  type AnchorHTMLAttributes,  type DetailedHTMLProps,} from "react";import { useLocale } from "react-intlayer";export interface LinkProps  extends DetailedHTMLProps<    AnchorHTMLAttributes<HTMLAnchorElement>,    HTMLAnchorElement  > {}const isExternal = (href?: string) => /^https?:\/\//.test(href ?? "");export const Link = forwardRef<HTMLAnchorElement, LinkProps>(  ({ href, children, ...props }, ref) => {    const { locale } = useLocale();    const hrefI18n =      href && !isExternal(href) ? getLocalizedUrl(href, locale) : href;    return (      <a href={hrefI18n} ref={ref} {...props}>        {children}      </a>    );  });Link.displayName = "Link";

    If you use Pattern A (basepath), TanStack’s <Link to="/about" /> already resolves to /fr/about via basepath, so a custom link is optional.


    TypeScript

    Include Intlayer’s generated types:

    tsconfig.json
    {  "include": ["src", ".intlayer/**/*.ts"],}

    Git

    Ignore Intlayer’s generated artifacts:

    gitignore
    .intlayer

    VS Code Extension

    • Intlayer VS Code Extension → autocompletion, errors, inline previews, quick actions. Marketplace: intlayer.intlayer-vs-code-extension

    Go Further

    • Visual Editor
    • CMS mode
    • Locale detection on the edge / adapters

    Doc History

    Version Date Changes
    1.0.0 2025-08-11 TanStack Start adaptation added
    Receive notifications about upcoming Intlayer releases
    Getting Started with Intlayer in TanStack Start (React) | Intlayer